Top 50 Games of the Last Generation | 50 - 41

We all weighed in on some of our favourite games and highlights from the sixth generation of video game consoles, and now it's time for the Top 50 Games of Last Generation. We opted for democracy over psychic octopuses or Foucauldian pendulums and each writer submitted a top 30, with the resulting entries shuffled into some semblance of critical order by our fuzzy-topped overlord.

The results have been surprising in some cases, and perhaps less so elsewhere. Indeed, there was only one game that appeared in absolutely everyone's list. But you'll have to wait until Friday for that as we begin our countdown of excellence at #50, and work our way up to the pinnacle of this generation.

What we said: Fallout: New Vegas is an epic adventure, simply overflowing with content. If you lost yourself in Fallout 3, gobbled up all the DLC and then loaded up a brand new game, New Vegas is for you. Hook, line and sinker. It's built on aging tech that often rears its ugly head, but it can also offer moments of startling beauty.

What we said: If you prefer your heroics to come with, well, heroics, look elsewhere on the shelf and detractors will no doubt write it off as a Fallout / Bioshock / Half-Life 2 hybrid. If though you like your games genuinely disturbing, thoughtful and intensely creepy, this is brilliant stuff. And hell, if you’re going to make a medley of three games you could do a lot worse than those, right?

What we said: Deliciously tight mechanics, combined with a fine balance between scripted setpieces and player-driven action deliver an immaculately paced piece that grabs hold and never let's go. It might not prove transcendental, but it points towards a future of great promise for the franchise. Simply outstanding.

What we said: The Noir-based adventure Team Bondi has created may not be perfect, but it is a wonderful and dark experience that rises above the blemishes it exhibits. The investigations and interrogations are put to a well-crafted backdrop of 1940’s Los Angeles, and the MotionScan technology moves past that of a gimmick and helps reflect some fantastic performances by the cast. If you can get past some clunky control issues and slow pacing, you’re in for a real treat with this one.

What we said: Well paced, superbly written, and boasting some of the best visual and audio work of this generation, Naughty Dog have once again produced a fine game. This is linear blockbuster gaming at its best, and it dazzles the senses. even if the form disappoints the mind a little given the genre.

What we said: Super Meat Boy is technically perfect, providing instantly responsive controls, precise analogue control and a realistic sense of momentum. Players have everything they need to complete each level in spectacular style... so when you fail, you've only got yourself to blame. This removes most of the frustration factor, turning what could have been a miserable grind into a compulsive quest for self improvement. Just buy it already.

44. Dead Space

What we said: Dead Space is good, scary fun, choc-full of jumpy moments, grotesque monster designs and more gore than an 80s Sam Raimi movie. It's classic survival-horror, and deeply atmospheric. Try and imagine what would happen if Event Horizon and Doom got stuck in a blender with Resident Evil and System Shock 2. Stop imagining that, it's disgusting. Definitely one to play with the lights off, just remember that spare set of underwear!

43. Rainbow Six Vegas

What we said: Boasting smart gameplay, smart weapons, smart AI (both friendly and enemy), a smart cover system, and a wealth of smart innovations, Rainbow Six Vegas stormed the ramparts of Generation Seven in emphatic fashion, delivering an astounding FPS experience and one of the best multiplayer shooter experiences of the 00s.

42. Metal Gear Solid 4

What we said: Was it cutscene heavy? Yes. Was the plot convoluted to hell? Absolutely. But even in the face of some of the biggest criticisms with the series in general, what Kojima and his team delivered with Guns Of The Patriots was the perfect tribute to everything that had come before it, wrapping up the story of Solid Snake and his fight against the La-Li-Lu-Le-Lo. Its multplayer component didn’t live up to expectations, but on the flip side the single-player gave us a Metal Gear vs Metal Gear battle of epic proportions, as well as *that* crawl to the finish line. In short, it was utterly unmissable for both Metal Gear and Playstation fans, making its place on our list a much deserved one.

41. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock

What we said: Just before it followed Rock Band into multi-instrumental awesomeness, Guitar Hero ditched oppressive timing windows for a more liberal approach - instead punishing your fingers with swathes of complex solos but making you feel like a proper axe-wielding titan. With probably the best setlist to grace a music game, boasting a wireless guitar so you could do kickjumps off of your sofa, and introducing guitar battles with Slash and the Devil, this was the pinnacle of Guitar Hero's magnificence.

As always, objectivity and critical absolutes are mythological concepts, so do get stuck into the debate in the comments box below. These are simply the results we came up with, and we're always keen to know yours! Stay tuned, same time tomorrow, for 40-31.

Oh there'll definitely be some glaring omissions. The "Shortlist" was in triple digits. It's amazing just how big a number 50 is, but how small it becomes over the course of a generation.

The democratic process made for an interesting order.

We'll be talking about this more in one or two podcasts this week, but my opinion on L.A. Noire flies pretty close to Carl's review. The ending was awful (the action bits in general were pretty risible) but I got a great kick out of the game as a whole. A flawed experiment, certainly, but one I found to be pretty gripping. One of the few games of this generation that I really wanted to see through to the end.

Hmm indeed, I probably would have had The Last of us higher but I guess when this has to be a list of the general top 50 rather than a personal one then there are a hell of a lot of games to take into account from such a long generation. I imagine some tough calls will have had to be made...

Top 10 is so difficult... Some great games in yours there but I'm with late on the original Bioshock over Infinite and I think I'd actually take Arkham Asylum over City. I think Portal 1 or 2 should be in there and probably Red Dead. And while I know plenty of people would disagree, I'd have Halo Reach in there and Dead Rising. And Borderlands 2. Maybe Motorstorm Pacific Rift too. Fallout 3. Fez.

Top 10 is so difficult... Some great games in yours there but I'm with late on the original Bioshock over Infinite and I think I'd actually take Arkham Asylum over City. I think Portal 1 or 2 should be in there and probably Red Dead. And while I know plenty of people would disagree, I'd have Halo Reach in there and Dead Rising. And Borderlands 2. Maybe Motorstorm Pacific Rift too. Fallout 3. Fez.

Ok like I said, it's difficult. Well over 10 with those added.

Interesting. I actually had Assylum in there first and switched it out. Halo Reach and Borderlands 2 were loitering around the top 10 too, but didn't quite make it in.

Red Dead doesn't get anywhere near for me. Didn't enjoy it at all and stopped abouta quarter of the way in.

I'm sure a top 50 will seem like it barely scratches the surface by the end simply because this has been a very high quality generation. I'm surprised to see Tomb Raider and The Last of Us so low, but then again I haven't played either of them and am just going off critical reception. Nice to see Rainbow Six Vegas getting a nod in the top 50. I had loads of fun with it when it came out, both in co-op campaign and terrorist hunt. It's so often forgotten because it came out a long time ago now, but it deserves to be remembered.

I disagree that MGS4 has to be in the top 15. I appreciate there are those who consider it to be in their top 5, but equally there are plenty who wouldn't even put it in their top 50 (I'm in the latter camp). Overall I'm a little surprised to see it this low down, but don't think it is necessarily unreasonable.